6th August, 2014
Simon Ateba & Jethro Ibileke/Osogbo
Tension was sky high and hotels were fully booked on Wednesday in Osogbo, capital of Nigeria’s western State of Osun, as security agents took over every stretch of the state ahead of the 9 August governorship election.
Virtually everywhere in Osun, Nigerian Army troops, Nigeria Police Force, the National Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Directorate of State Security Service, and other security agencies were criss-crossing the state, brandishing all kinds of weapons, with intent to shoot.
The security operatives were drafted from various states of the country, many of whom arrived Osun on Tuesday and immediately swung into action by mounting security checkpoints, frisking passersby and conducting stop and search on all incoming vehicles. One of the Hilux van conveying the policemen was from Ologbo Division (Edo State) of the Nigeria police.
Some of the security agents on Wednesday morning took over the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, venue of the rally organised by workers of Osun State, western Nigeria, to show support for the re-election of Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the All Progressives Party, APC.
“Stern and gun-wielding security agents stopped those who had arrived the venue to decorate it ahead of the programme slated for 10am this morning,” said Kunle Oyatomi, Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy for the APC in Osun.
Oyatomi said no reason was given for the unlawful occupation of the venue of the event, and “the APC Osun Chapter seriously condemns the closure of the democratic space against the people of State.”
He said more worrisome is the concealment of the identities of the supposed security agents some of whom wore masks and threatened to shoot those who had arrived early for the programme.
Also, Leisure Spring Hotel, venue of the stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Independent Natioal Electoral Commission, INEC, was cordoned off by hundreds of mixed security operatives armed to the teeth.
One of the residents who gave his name simply as Olaitan, condemned the apparent militarisation of election, which he said should have been conducted without military operatives.
“Election should not be made to look like a war. The presence of soldiers in the state is uncalled for, and I can assure you it will impact negatively on the outcome of the election.
“I am supposed to travel to Ede town this morning, but with the look of things, I may not go because I don’t want to be embarrassed by these fearful gun-carrying policemen and soldiers,” he told P.M. NEWS.
Despite apprehension, Attahiru Jega, INEC Chairman, assured stakeholders that election will be free, fair and credible. Jega, who spoke at the Osun state stakeholders meeting in Osogbo, said the election cannot be compromised.
Jega spoke after Olusegun Agbaje, Resident Electoral Commissioner, and Ambassador Mohammed Ahmad Wali, supervising National Commissioner for the election, assured that the election will be free, fair and credible.
”All is set for the August 9 governorship election here in Osun State. We have prepared adequately and meticulously to ensure that this election is free, fair and credible,” Jega said.
He said since 2011, INEC has ensured that the ballot papers are serially numbered. He said result sheets have also been customised.
“We have even gone further to do colour coding of ballot papers. The colour of the ballot papers are different from one local government to another. We did it in Ekiti and we have done it also in Osun,” Jega said.
He said election material will be distributed tomorrow and parties will be given coded map.
Jega said INEC has also ensured that in every polling unit, there will be a cubicle where people can go and cast their votes in secret.
“You cannot go to a polling unit with a camera, that violates the secrecy of the ballot.
He called on political parties to pay attention to credible party agents and at different levels of the collation centers. Leading in 2015, Jega said the commission has requested parties to nominate people for the training of party agents.
“Please pay attention to the significance and role of party agents,” he said.
He said Permanent Voters Cards will be used in the Osun election. “In Osun over 70 percent of permanent voters cards have been collected.
He called on all stakeholders to participate in the peaceful conduct of the election.
“Candidates must promote peaceful conduct and ensure that violence is eliminated from our political process. We want to see an ideal in the future where we can conduct elections without the presence of any security agents. But in our country we have serious security challenges. We must protect the workers. But they must ensure that they do it impartially. There must not be harassment of any voters,” Jega said.